BrightStar Care to Add 26 Home Care Locations in Philadelphia

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One of the nation’s largest home care franchise companies is expanding with 26 new franchise locations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. BrightStar Care, a top 10 performing home care franchise company, is adding the locations to the area due to a “clear demand” for its services, which include skilled medical and non-medical in-home care services. The home care services provider has a target of 50 new franchise units across the United States this year.

“It’s a strong market with very strong demographics,” Anthony Padulo, executive vice president of international and domestic franchise development, told Home Health Care News. “The population is dense, and it meets our criteria.”

Currently, Chicago-based BrightStar Care has more than 300 home care locations across the country, but only two operating in Southeast Montgomery County and South Bucks County. The company is seeking new, qualified franchise operators to lead the brand’s expansion in the Philadelphia area. Each location serves an average of 70 families and employs 70 RNs, therapists, LPNs, CNAs and HHAs on the care staff.

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BrighStar has focused on Philadelphia in part for its high population of seniors; the number of people over the age of 85 will jump 19% to 34,230 residents by 2025, according to the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging.

A Hot Franchise

Qualified franchisees include individuals with liquid assets of $100,000 and a net worth of $500,000. The company was recently named as one of the hottest home care franchise brands, in part because of its rapid expansion. Since 2010, the company has grown from 199 locations to more than 300 in 38 states. Since its franchise founding in 2005, the company has grown to a $335 million company.

The company utilizes a software program to look at senior populations across the country, as well as household income and average home values, that it can use to divide into territories. BrightStar has identified 26 potential territories in the Philadelphia area, which includes Delaware and New Jersey, where it will look to open new locations.

As BrightStar seeks new franchisees, it will seek to identify potential partners to award the territories identified. Realistically, the 26 new locations could be opened within a two to three year timeline, according to Padula. The typical timeline from aware a franchise to opening an agency is roughly 120 days, Padula told HHCN. An ideal franchisee candidate has a strong business acumen, regardless of their clinical background.

“The majority of our franchisees don’t come from the heath care field,” Padulo said in a press release. “We’re looking for business managers who have a strong passion for our business, and an appreciation for providing a high quality service.”

The company, which also offers home are staffing, enables its franchisees to run the business without a health care background through its robust training program.

“We strive very hard with our franchises to be an employer of choice,” Padula told HHCN. “We hire experienced caregivers, with at least a year in the field. Our philosophy is to provide a premium, very personalized, very people-centirc level of care.

As a top franchise, BrightStar Care has been at the forefront of critical industry issues such as wage pressures. Last fall, CEO and founder Shelly Sun fought for the the franchise locations to qualify as small businesses instead of being grouped in with larger companies. The designation was a metric for wage increases in Seattle.